The verdict in three sentences
A Beninese cooperative union of 8,000 farmers selling to European buyers, many of them trading through Amsterdam and Rotterdam, can no longer rely on paper delivery slips: buyers want the origin of every lot, down to the geolocated plot. Custom collection and traceability software, between 12,000,000 and 24,000,000 FCFA (18,000 to 37,000 EUR), records offline weighings on tablets, maps plots, calculates farmer payments and produces the due diligence files expected under the EU Deforestation Regulation. Delivered in 16 weeks, it is often funded by the traceability premium negotiated with a single buyer.
What European buyers ask for in 2026
Seed cotton is not one of the seven commodities covered by the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), but soy, which the same farmers grow in rotation in Borgou and Alibori, is. For soy, the European buyer must file a due diligence statement with the GPS coordinates of every plot and proof of no deforestation after 31 December 2020, with application expected at the end of 2026 for large operators. For cotton, fashion brands apply their own due diligence and labels (organic cotton, Cotton made in Africa) require equivalent traceability.
| Requirement (2026 order of magnitude) | Paper slips | Traceability software |
|---|---|---|
| Geolocated plots | 0 to 10% | 95 to 100% (polygons above 4 ha) |
| Time to trace a lot's origin | 2 to 4 weeks | Under 10 minutes |
| Disputed weighings per season | 3 to 5% | Under 0.5% |
| Farmer payment delay | 30 to 60 days | 7 to 15 days |
| Mobile money payments | Rare | 60 to 80% of farmers |
| Negotiable traceability premium | None | 5 to 15 FCFA per kg |
| Lots rejected for lack of proof | Growing risk | Exportable due diligence file |
Modules and pricing
| Module | Function | Indicative budget excl. tax |
|---|---|---|
| Farmer registry | Identity, group, photo, consent | 1,500,000 to 3,000,000 FCFA |
| Plot mapping | GPS polygon survey, area, crops | 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA |
| Offline tablet weighing | Connected scale, ticket, deferred sync | 2,500,000 to 5,000,000 FCFA |
| Lots and traceability | From collection point to ginnery or warehouse | 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA |
| Farmer payments | Net of input advances, MTN MoMo and Moov Money | 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA |
| Buyer due diligence file | GeoJSON export, deforestation check, report per lot | 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA |
| Dashboards | Volumes per zone, yields, geolocation rate | 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA |
The 12,000,000 FCFA core covers the registry, mapping, offline weighing and lots. The 24,000,000 FCFA version adds mobile money payments net of input credit, the due diligence export and zone-level steering. Rugged tablets cost about 180,000 FCFA each, or 7,200,000 FCFA for 40 collection points. Maintenance: 8 to 12% of the budget per year.
A 16-week plan aligned with the season
| Phase | Weeks | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and collection circuit | 1 to 2 | Collection points, lot flows, payment rules |
| Mockups and field tests | 3 to 4 | Screens approved with weighers |
| Registry and mapping | 5 to 8 | GPS survey app in operation |
| Weighing and lots | 9 to 12 | Sync tested in no-network areas |
| Payments and due diligence export | 13 to 14 | First buyer file generated |
| 5-group pilot then rollout | 15 to 16 | 40 collection agents trained |
The schedule must finish before cotton marketing opens, usually in November. Plot mapping can start in the rainy season, when fields are visible. Personal data falls under Benin's Digital Code and its data protection authority, the APDP.
Mini case study
Mr. Houngbédji, director of a cooperative union in Cotonou (8,000 farmers, 24,000 tonnes of seed cotton and 6,000 tonnes of soy a year), invests 20,000,000 FCFA plus 7,200,000 FCFA of tablets. A Dutch soy buyer based in Amsterdam grants a traceability premium of 10 FCFA per kg, or 60,000,000 FCFA per season. Disputed cotton weighings fall from 4% to 0.5%, about 8,000,000 FCFA of disputes avoided. Estimated gain: 68,000,000 FCFA a year for 27,200,000 FCFA invested: the project pays back in the first season.
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FAQ
Does the app work without network in villages?
Yes, weighings and GPS surveys are stored on the tablet and synced when the network returns, sometimes once a week. A tablet holds more than 5,000 weighings in memory.
Must every plot be mapped as a polygon?
The EUDR requires a polygon above 4 hectares and a single GPS point below. One agent maps 15 to 25 plots a day, about 3 months for 8,000 farmers with 10 agents.
How are farmers paid?
The software calculates the net amount after input advances and triggers MTN MoMo or Moov Money payments. The delay drops from 30 to 60 days to 7 to 15 days.
Is cotton covered by the deforestation regulation?
No, cotton is not on the current list, but soy is and fashion brands demand the same traceability. A single tool covers both value chains.
Who owns the farmers' data?
The union keeps ownership of all data, hosted on a server it controls. The buyer only receives the due diligence file for its own lots.
Let's scope your project. Share your number of farmers, your value chains and your European buyers: we will price a scope between 12,000,000 and 24,000,000 FCFA with a 16-week plan aligned with your season. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
